Message by Chad Kelly
Introduction””
Alan Jackson”™s song has been a family favorite for years””beginning when Nathan was just big enough to catch the words and sing the song!
It”™s a great thought””“It”™s alright to be little bitty!”
And yet, we struggle against being “little bitty”.
“I am opposed to millionaires, but it would be dangerous to offer me the position.” |
| MARK TWAIN |
Do you like to be well-thought-of?
Do you ever envy the place one of your friends occupies””their job or their social status?
Truth be told””we all deal with the desire to have status, to be the “big man”, etc.!
Redemptive “Littleness”
Mark 10:13-16, 35-45
“Littleness” is the only “bigness” with God!
Mark 10:13-16 (NLT)
13 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.
14 When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don”™t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn”™t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” 16 Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.
“Littleness” is the only “bigness” with God!
Even Jesus”™ own disciples had a desire for status. And, at first glance, you might even admire their quest.
The only “status” that matters in the end is our status with God.
What God thinks of us, how He ranks us, is the bottom line in life.
“Littleness” is the only “bigness” with God!
And “littleness” before God is having a simply faith in Jesus.
THAT will make us “big” in God”™s eyes!
WHAT does the “littleness” of a simple faith look like?
Matthew 18:1-14 gives us a more extended version of Jesus”™ thoughts on all of this. So we”™re going to walk through that text and see what we can learn.
Jesus gives us 5 Patterns of Living that are found in the lives of those who get God”™s attention:
1. I must have simple faith to enter God”™s kingdom. (1-3)
1At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
The disciples”™ perspective on “status” was much like ours””very self-centered, each one jockeying for position above the other. The parallel passage in Mark 9 informs us that they knew they were being self-centered””“After they arrived atCapernaum, Jesus and his disciples settled in the house where they would be staying. Jesus asked them, ”˜What were you discussing out on the road?”™ But they didn”™t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest.”
We”™re not going to read it, but check out Mark 10:35-45 later. There, you”™ll find James and John wanting Jesus to give them the top 2 seats in the kingdom of heaven! And it is there where Jesus tells them that even HE didn”™t come to be served but to serve and lay down his life a ransom for many!
READ verse 3 AGAIN
“Simple faith” like that of “little children” is required to even have a relationship with God.
“Little children”””actual children,
But also . . .
ANYONE with SIMPLE FAITH=
—Uncomplicated Trust
—Wholehearted Dependence
—Helpless Confidence
—Humble Awareness of being Little and Needing Someone Big
These are NOT Natural Characteristics of people over 10!
That”™s why Alan Jackson”™s song became so popular””adults needed to be reminded that it”™s ok to be a kid and a kid at heart! And that is freeing””especially when we realize it”™s true about our relationship to God.
Now, it”™s NOT easy for us adults, because we”™re all grown up and have life figured out.
But the only folks that can truly know God are those who come to Jesus with the simple faith of a child!
–Review Gospel
I must have simple faith to enter God”™s kingdom.
“Littleness” is the only “bigness” with God!
2. I must have simple faith to be great in God”™s kingdom. (4)
4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
“Littleness” is the only “bigness” with God!
Mark 9:35
Anyone who wants to be the first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.
Martin Luther
Oh, do not think to be great but to be little. Becoming great will come of itself if you become little.
1 Peter 5:5b-6 (NLT)
And all of you, serve each other in humility, for ”˜God sets himself against the proud, but he shows favor to the humble”™. So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you.
J. Oswald Sanders
God”™s best gifts are not on a high shelf but on a low one to which we must stoop. The badge of greatness is greatness in humility.
Let me show you a picture of a conversation between God and one of His “greats” that shows just what it means to have a simple faith:
Psalm 131 (MSG)
1God, I”™m not trying to rule the roost,
I don”™t want to be king of the mountain.
I haven”™t meddled where I have no business
or fantasized grandiose plans.
2 I”™ve kept my feet on the ground,
I”™ve cultivated a quiet heart.
Like a baby content in its mother”™s arms,
my soul is a baby content.
3 Wait, Israel, for God. Wait with hope.
Hope now; hope always!
I must have simple faith in order to be great in God”™s kingdom, because greatness (real status) in God”™s eyes is humility!
“Littleness” is the only “bigness” with God!
3. I must treat others with simple faith like I would treat Jesus. (5-6)
5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. 6 “If anyone causes one of these little ones””those who believe in me””to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
Jesus is talking about how we relate to at least 2 groups of people””and He makes the point that relating to others is really about relating to HIM!
First, to seekers””those who are on the verge of trusting Jesus with a simple faith. It matters HOW we relate to folks when we”™re sharing our faith””we need to be sensitive to them and talk to them on their level and show them that Jesus meets them right where they are.
We must be gentle, not overbearing; patient, not pushy; simple and clear, not fancy in our words; welcoming and humble, not intimidating, spiritual know-it-alls.
But also, to new believers. It takes time to grow up. It takes many experiences to gain maturity. God tells us not to exasperate our children””not to frustrate them by expecting them to be grown-ups when they”™re children. Sometimes in the church, because of our own pride/self-righteousness and resulting legalism, we expect new believers to act like they”™ve walked with Jesus for years””and it WILL hurt them! And when we hurt them, we hurt Jesus!
And don”™t forget””no matter how long we”™ve walked with Jesus, greatness in the kingdom is about humility!
You know, if we were as mature as we often think we are, we”™d be less judgmental and more childlike and simply trust Jesus with whatever/whoever anyway!
And this whole deal extends to ALL believers.
I must treat others with simple faith (whether seekers, new believers, or even mature believers) like I would treat Jesus!
“Littleness” is the only “bigness” with God!
4. I must be willing to do spiritual surgery on myself in order to protect the family of simple faith. (7–9)
7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
Jesus really values simple faith that results in simple obedience””and He”™ll hold us accountable if we hurt someone who is trying to simply “trust and obey”!
Is there anything in your life that is hindering YOUR simple faith in Jesus?
Is anything in your life hindering someone else”™s childlike trust and obedience to Jesus? If so, cut it out!
I must be willing to do spiritual surgery on myself in order to protect the family of simple faith!
“Littleness” is the only “bigness” with God!
5. I must remember how much God loves those with simple faith. (10-14)
10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. [11]
12 “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.
Does it not overwhelm you to realize that God loves you like that?
a) God”™s love for His own should make us patient in loving others!
When we remember how God loves so continually us, we”™ll be encouraged to be more patient in loving others.
b) God”™s love for His own should make us urgent in sharing His love with others!
When we remember how God”™s love pursued us””and still pursues those who will simply trust Jesus””we”™ll find ourselves urgently talking to others about God”™s love as seen in Jesus!
I must remember how much God loves those with simple faith!
“Littleness” is the only “bigness” with God!
Conclusion
Spurgeon
To rise to the greatness of grace, we must go down to the littleness, the simplicity, and the trustfulness of childhood.
“Littleness” is the only “bigness” with God!
Be “little” by simply trusting Jesus and following in His steps day by day””loving Jesus and loving others with God”™s love for them.
Then, you”™ll be “big” in God”™s eyes””all by, and because of, Jesus!